Tips to celebrate the holidays safely during COVID-19
While they鈥檙e not all physically in the same place, a family takes a group photo by coming together virtually - on screens. (iStock)
It鈥檚 that time of year again, when the snow begins to fall, lights sparkle on the trees and holiday plans begin to fill the calendar.
But wait - what holiday plans? With the pandemic in full swing, many of us are wondering, can we celebrate safely this year? And if so 鈥� how?
With many traditions and celebrations cancelled or up in the air as families decide what to do, Ryerson experts say it鈥檚 not all doom and gloom.
In fact - if you鈥檙e struggling with how to celebrate this holiday season, below, check out tips from our experts about what we can do to connect and celebrate this year.
Focus on connection
Diana Brecher
Psychologist, Centre for Student Development and Counselling
After watching how Americans recently celebrated Thanksgiving this year, Ryerson psychologist Diana Brecher says many people have 鈥渓ost sight of the plot鈥�.
鈥淭he intention of the holidays is connection. Yes, it鈥檚 about being with the people we care about - but what鈥檚 more important is the intention underneath,鈥� she said.
鈥淚n a pandemic, we may not be able to connect the way we鈥檙e used to - but we can still do so safely,鈥� she said.
The psychologist says being creative and using technology can help create a sense of togetherness with the people we care about.
鈥淲e need to come into this holiday season with different expectations - not necessarily lower ones, but new ones. For instance, you could cook a friend or loved one鈥檚 recipe - and then let them know how it tastes,鈥� she said.
Another suggestion is a video call with multiple 鈥渂reakout rooms鈥�, so people can move back and forth, switching up social circles and conversations, similarly to how one might socialize at a cocktail party.
鈥淚t isn鈥檛 quite as satisfying as being in the same room, but it comes close,鈥� said Brecher, who鈥檚 been connecting with friends throughout the pandemic by playing bridge virtually, through Trickster cards.
鈥淭echnology helps us do these things - but fundamentally, what helps is keeping the plot in mind: We鈥檙e in a pandemic, we have to keep an open mind and say, 鈥業t鈥檚 going to be different this time, I鈥檓 going to use my creativity to make this happen,鈥欌�� she said.
For Christmas this year, Brecher is taking part in a virtual party. Each household has been assigned to either prepare a skit, song or trivia questions.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a way to make it fun even though we鈥檙e not all in the same place,鈥� she said.
She also says those who will be missing religious services at places of worship can apply a similar mentality.
鈥淭he underlying intention is your connection to your spiritual self. And that you can do from anywhere,鈥� she said.
While many families won鈥檛 be able to see their loved ones in-person this year, with a little creativity, it鈥檚 possible to connect. For example, Prof. Tim Sly is planning a concert with his grandsons over Zoom. (iStock)
Changing the goal post
Director of Health Policy Research, National Institute on Ageing (NIA), Ted Rogers School of Management and Director of geriatrics at Sinai Health System and University Health Network Hospitals
鈥淚f there was ever a holiday fraught with confusion, this is it,鈥� said Dr. Samir Sinha, director of health policy research at TRSM鈥檚 .
With parents in Winnipeg who are 70 and 80, and a brother in Baltimore, he says this will be a very different year for all of them.
Instead of coming to Toronto, his parents, retired physicians, will stay put in Manitoba.
鈥淚t brings about a lot of tension, because we all really want to see each other. But we have to do what we can to keep everyone safe, and respect that different people have different levels of risk,鈥� he said.
The family didn鈥檛 cancel their visit, however. Instead, they鈥檙e rethinking the possibilities.
鈥淟et鈥檚 change the goal post. Why not have Christmas in July?鈥� Dr. Sinha said.
He says he and his family have simply decided to plan their annual get together when it鈥檚 safe to do so (July or later, depending), and notes that the most important thing is to follow local public health guidelines.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 just pick and choose the rules that work well for you,鈥� he said.
So, he鈥檚 looking forward to a quiet chance to relax this year with his partner, their cat, and favourite movies on Netflix.
鈥淲e often think of the holidays as a time of intergenerational solidarity, for grandparents to see their grandkids, and for us to socialize with one another. Why not just move that to a time when it鈥檚 safe to do so?鈥�
Test to evaluate risk
For those who still intend to travel, Dr. Sinha urges those who live in a city with a high number of COVID-19 cases to quarantine for 7-14 days before visiting loved ones in another jurisdiction.
Otherwise, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 exactly how COVID starts to spread,鈥� he said.
Dr. Sinha says anyone grappling with decisions about whether to see family or friends should consult the , designed to help people of different ages and states of health determine the risk of visiting others and make a well-informed choice.
鈥淭his is an emotional holiday season. We have to respect the fact that people are feeling isolated and lonely, people are desperate to be with people they love. We need to find other ways to connect and make the best of it,鈥� he said.
Zoom concert with grandsons
Professor Emeritus Tim Sly
Epidemiologist, School of Occupational and Public Health, Faculty of Community Services
Professor emeritus and epidemiologist Tim Sly has a special holiday project on his plate this year.
He鈥檚 currently rehearsing to give a concert - on Zoom, with his grandsons.
鈥淲e鈥檙e practicing several tunes - so far it's Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, Scott Joplin's The Entertainer, an instrumental-only version of Despacito, and Taylor Davis' arrangement of 鈥楲et it go!鈥欌�� he said.
The performance involves Sly on everything from the harmonica to the flute, and his grandsons, aged 10 and 13 on guitar and violin.
At Christmas, they鈥檒l perform for Sly鈥檚 son and his wife.
鈥淎s we get closer to the season, I'll also be changing the green-screen to a snow-scene and digging out my Santa hat,鈥� Sly said.
As for actually seeing his grandsons in-person, Sly picks them up from school once a week for a five-minute car ride to their home. They wear masks and keep the windows down slightly, and Sly doesn鈥檛 go into their home.
鈥淭here鈥檚 an increased risk indoors because of two factors: one is the temperature, since even the indoor temperature is going down, and viruses like cooler temperatures. They also like dry air, and both of those factors are very much with us as we get into the cold and the furnaces come on,鈥� he said.
All about the 鈥�7 Cs鈥�
Whether a social activity is indoors or outdoors is just one of seven factors he says we must consider when making decisions about holiday plans.
In fact, he says it鈥檚 all about the 鈥�7 Cs of Covid鈥�:
- Closed spaces (indoors vs outdoors)
- Contact (directly by hand and surfaces)
- Close proximity (less than 2M between people)
- Crowds (the more people the higher the risk)
- Continued exposure (more than 15 minutes; more hours, more risk)
- Covering/masking (or lack of)
- Coughing, shouting, singing, talking (in that order)
鈥淲henever there are multiple Cs, this is when we see transmission to others take place,鈥� he said, pointing to super-spreader events, such as a choir practice in Skagit County, Washington in March.
鈥�91福利 60 people went to practice for two and a half hours. One person was in the early stages of the illness - and they managed to give it to 53 other people, two of whom died,鈥� Sly said, noting that singing and speaking loudly presents even greater risk, since the virus spreads more effectively if the vocal cords close.
Evaluating the risk
So, if you鈥檙e wondering whether to go to your neighbour鈥檚 for some eggnog, ask yourself: Will you be with people from outside of your household? Is it for a prolonged period of time? Is it indoors? Will everyone be wearing masks? Will you all be at a minimum six feet apart at all times?
The more Cs you check off the list, the greater the risk for transmission, Sly said.
鈥淚s it for 15 minutes? Is it more than 30? Maybe you鈥檙e masked, but then what happens every time you take a drink of eggnog or eat a sandwich? That鈥檚 an increased factor. And there鈥檚 usually a lot of enthusiasm, so lots of talking, which is further risk,鈥� he said.
Opportunities to make a difference
Sly says people should embrace the cold - since outdoor winter activities, such as tobogganing and skating, present much lower risk.
He also says those who are healthy should feel fortunate.
鈥淚t will be an unusual Christmas, but we have technology in place to bring us together. Think about what it was like in 1918, you know, when the first influenza hit. We didn鈥檛 have the means to see people - and most didn鈥檛 even have telephones. We鈥檙e pretty lucky.鈥�
On that note, he says to be mindful of those who don鈥檛 have technological means to connect.
鈥淪earch for opportunities to make a meaningful and personal difference, to bring a sincere greeting to someone who would welcome a call or a simple chat,鈥� he said.
鈥淥r maybe, a little surprise delivered at the door with a card, perhaps with an idea or two about planning for brighter days next year.鈥�
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